


Limbo

by Debz_Baumaus



Series: Lessons in Love [2]
Category: Persona 2, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Developing Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Introspection, Kurosu Jun & Suou Tatsuya Are the Parents of Persona 5 Protagonist, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Pining, Separation Anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:15:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22454803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Debz_Baumaus/pseuds/Debz_Baumaus
Summary: Caught in an in-between, Yusuke Kitagawa must struggle against himself and the ones that have triggered his life.Or a story that shows how Yusuke was dealt the worst hand among all the Phantom Thieves.(Lessons in Love AU in which there is no Daì Yí to help Yusuke cope with his self-worth issues and separation.Yusuke and Akira are 17 and high school seniors.)
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Kitagawa Yusuke, Kitagawa Yusuke & Persona 5 Protagonist, Kitagawa Yusuke/Kurusu Akira, Kitagawa Yusuke/Persona 5 Protagonist, Kurosu Jun/Suou Tatsuya
Series: Lessons in Love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1355377
Kudos: 36





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Reposting from Tumblr and planning to actually finish it here.
> 
> Sorry for the angst, but happy birthday, baby Yusuke!
> 
> **Warnings: Takes place post-game, so spoilers. Mentioned allusions to self-harm, past abuse, and sexual themes, nothing graphic, more poetic and metaphorical.**

_Ryuji wouldn’t stop running, both figuratively and literally, as he pushed beyond the scars and pain, never letting absolutely anyone make him drop to his knees._

_Ann, though she was still mostly judged at face-value, managed to give birth to a strange brand of innocent ingenuity and picaresque playfulness; she couldn’t deny she was fabulous, but there were limits others could not come close to, and she wouldn’t let her looks get to her head._

_Makoto was, well, herself as always (not wanting to demean her growth, one still must admit all she needed was to stop bowing her head at adults and straighten up as the honor student, police-woman-in-the-making that she was)._

_Futaba, hoo boy, she was lucky. Maybe the fact that she was the youngest played into the fact that, since the very moment she appeared in the game, everyone put together all their skills to help her level up, so she could accompany them (though no one would ever dare change her quirks)._

_Haru was a special case; she needn’t any more than a listening ear that would allow her a shot to vent out her pent-up frustrations so, at the same time, she could listen to herself more clearly and objectively to finally aim at the target that she was meant to hit._

_Alas, even Morgana and Akira were fairing rather well. Morgana, though still a cat, had already fulfilled his destiny and shared his life as a protective guide to their leader… Akira…_

Oh, Akira. No rumor would erase his smirk, no teasing could surpass the trickster that understood the nature of the soul and could steal any heart he set his eyes on. Of course, the transition back to his hometown of Sumaru, once a great city, half-destroyed nearly a decade ago, was not nearly as perfectly swift as his movements back in Mementos. But just as he had dared the first wave of uncertainty that Kamoshida had welcomed him with in Tokyo, he held his ground against the glances and the whispers, so commonplace in the broken down city that let lips run free.

It was truly a blessing that both his parents were experts in the topic. No one could deny that Jun Kurusu (he slightly changed his last name to be free of the shadow of his mother that lingered in his mind) and Tatsuya Suou did not know how to handle the pain of rumors, of treason, and of the struggles one must endure against destiny. Though quiet they might’ve been through Akira’s year of probation, they were not absent nor entirely distant.

Ah-, and it hurt to remember how, unlike the others that could immediately stand on their own two feet, or that had family to help them push through, or that had received the whole support of the entire group of friends through and through, he was the one everyone expected to just get on his feet and act as if nothing was amiss. Act as if knowing that the only person that had ever been family to him had actually killed his only real family, had intended to kill HIM slowly, had robbed him of everything, even his identity, of time in which he had forsaken the chance to ever seek for a friend or even SIMPLE UNDERSTANDING… He still couldn’t fathom why the expectations that everyone held of him were so different, so warped, so unfair.

And now, without the one person that had wanted to cushion this shift in his life, Yusuke did not know what to do…


	2. Chapter 1 - Blunt Edges, Sharp Words

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters will generally be short.  
> This is basically a multi-chapter, single-story drabble of sorts.

He supposed he had developed his own style of self-deprecation.

What once were merely methods of diluting his sensei’s strokes of anger had now turned out to be methods of measuring his self-worth, resources to keep himself on the line he was meant to follow, because when it came to his personal life, Yusuke Kitagawa would not let himself sketch and retry. He would not give himself the chance to erase, redo, contemplate another angle, let his hand loose and free, waiting for it to reveal something he didn’t yet know.

Unlike painting, living was not an art Yusuke had yet mastered. All he knew was to be quiet, tolerate, follow, obey.

Blinded to the truth of his heart were those who could not see his behavior for what it was, a mere shadow of what he had always been to Madarame. A constant hue of blue that dare not change for fear of standing out much, or becoming grayer, duller.

Unlike in a text message, he had not that much time to think out his words, he had no ellipsis as a visual cue to aid him in his struggle. Unlike through texts, his words weren’t meant to hurt.


	3. Chapter 2 - Hues of Doubt

He saw the masses as a color wheel, each person a color that moved along, changing in the grand palette of life.

Some created contrast, some were bright, some were mellow, some were soft pastels. They intertwined in complementing or familiar ways.

He felt he himself was a color that could not be paired up with any other. He ruined the aesthetic, he was a jarring sight that messed with the balance others kept.

He was the only hideous blue in existence, a blue that, contrary to what color psychology studies had pinned down for such hue of light, did not relax others. His being seemed to ooze uneasiness out just as his oil tubes looked like they'd burst when he gripped them in an uninspiring, fruitless session.

Instead of giving a sense of tranquility to others, he seemed to give out an uneasiness unto people, albeit unwillingly.

His grayish-blue aura was sickeningly tragic, not at all the effect deemed to fit him if based on art theory. And still, he dared to fantasize about sharing the same brush hairs as that vibrant red that caught anyone’s attention from a distance, even with a mere glance. He wanted to coexist with the neon crimson of Akira, the wondrous, attractive, strong force that tugged at you inevitably as if he were a world with the gravitational force birthed by a supernova in creation.

But he did not want to ruin that image. He didn’t want to make a black hole out of his star. He definitely didn’t want people going off course from the red light just because the gray of his presence came too close to him.

Akira was the creator of entire universes that exploded and expanded; Captain Kidd into Seiten Taisei, Zorro into Mercurius, Carmen into Hecate, Johanna into Anat, Necronomicon into Prometheus, Milady into Astarte, and even Goemon into Kamu Susano'o. It is true that the energy to jump-start and mold those galaxies was already there, but he was the one to light the spark that ignited their wills and made them transcend.

Except, he found that, for him, it was not enough. Even if Goemon or Susano'o were to return to his side, he would not be able to feel them inside him as often and strong as before. It’s as if his magnum opus, his true self, had been ruined with a nonsensical paint splatter tossed at his soul by a random stranger. He couldn’t grasp himself, and he knew he was right...

_“You are yourself, Yusuke, whether I’m there with you or not. No one can completely undo what you’ve accomplished. Dig deep inside you if you ever feel lost, or just call me up.”_

Oh, how he knew him! Akira didn't even need to hear the words being spoken to understand the thoughts that were brooding in him like the others did to comprehend him. He was undecipherable, yet readable. When he reached out, one could feel what he wished to convey, nothing beyond that was revealed; the rest remained obscured.

 _“Just, I want you to know, I want you to remember,_ to realize _that it’s you who has come this far. I didn’t make you change, even if I did give you a push, you did this yourself. You could have resisted or denied my help, you could have gone on a different path, but you are who you are today because of yourself. So, take credit, believe in yourself even more than you believe in me. I’m always willing to help, but you can do this on your own, you basically already have.”_

My goodness! He will be so disappointed once he arrives. Today.

How could he face Akira after having regressed into his old self, after having transformed into this obsessive creature who depended on his muse, who fed himself with imagery of a life that could not be? He needed a dose of reality, but all he could find in his futon were the hues of doubt that followed him into his sleep, the nightmares of self-revelation that made him gulp with guilt. He was so full of lies, and it was a betrayal to the Phantom Thieves to give his back to his standards.

“I must confess my sins…”

Hifumi Togo and him had become close acquaintances, verging on an almost-friendship, that is to say because he couldn’t quite figure out Shogi’s technicalities and Hifumi wasn’t too invested in learning century-long histories of artistic movements. But they had things in common: intelligence, extreme passion, old-fashioned humor and quirky imagination, extravagant and dramatic expressions, the appreciation of silence and alone-time, school, family troubles, but namely Akira.

...

_**"Was there truly a need for us to meet?"** _

He could see it in the way Haru bit her lip and her eyes moved sideways, away from him. And though he had always been sure that Haru was one of the few that managed to correctly interpret his brand of honesty, he chastised himself in his head.

But that was it, wasn’t it? What he really, truly desired to express to the world did not meet the light of his inspiration. The truths he held would stay unique to him, never to grace a canvas, his sketchbook, or his lips.

And at that moment, his train of thought shifted its focus from his poor attempt of apologizing to Haru to his best friend’s lips…

Lips that brought forth what he could not: the truth, kind and reassuring words, unending confidence-. His desire, his hope, so close, yet so far.

Love had only been an artistic theme to pursue, an emotional aesthetic he sought to capture with the beauty of acrylics; now, love dictated the movements of his hand.

What once was known to him as merely a complacent way to dim his sensei’s strokes of anger had inevitably transformed into a masochistic way of measuring his self-worth, methods to keep himself in line if he ever dared think that, beyond understanding and witnessing hope, he had actually become to possess it.

He could only chase after it, that glorious light that would bathe them all in radiance they could only dream of projecting. Though, he wanted nothing more than to blend with it, mash it up inside him, blind himself with it, mark the white canvas with purples.

And immersed in one of these imaginary episodes in which their rays would become one, entangled spirits and bodies, the truth still crept inside Yusuke as his hands involuntarily reminded him to not think outside the box, carving the reminders of his self-worth with the palette knife across his skin like another dark, twisted masterpiece reminiscent of Desire. So, he lost the shape of himself, all blunt, deformed edges calling for that white and red silhouette, and sharp words, sharp hands hurting everything in their way.

Red dripped through his white shirt while the black of Akira’s curls and irises stained his heart and mind.

Indeed, through this shift in his life, Yusuke did not know what to do to make Akira his. To make himself a proper human. To stop being a mere shadow prompted by someone else’s twisted cognition.

He was stuck in a limbo within himself that not even Goemon could help him conquer because though he knew his truth, he kept it hidden in the thin line he had traced between reality and his heart.

…

Ding~ Ding~

Akira was coming back home.


	4. Chapter 3 - Smothered Pulses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy~! ;D

His lungs were running empty. Oxygen no longer poured into his bloodstream, even when his body felt like he had been dipped into the core of a volcano. He had to actively think to do things his body would normally do automatically.

Counting how many seconds since he last blinked, strain his diaphragm to breathe in and out, forcefully roll his eyes to different spots to not just me consumed by the vast and beautiful black that lured all of his attention.

What was it to be normal? He couldn’t remember. And this wasn’t the same kind of forgetfulness that led him to self-punishment, kneeling in a dark corner and forgoing food for an entire day while discretely mutilating his own fingers with his nails and teeth while fearing the blow of a cane dropping onto his shoulder. No, this forgetfulness made his body feel fuzzy, warm, vibrating with anxiety, making his fingers itch to grasp and his mouth pool with saliva and so much want, his tongue already reflexively twirling with impatience behind his clenched jaw.

Could the rest tell how he kept shivering and being either deathly still of fidgeting like he was going manic? Perhaps not, given that they had always thought him strange in his hyperactive passiveness.

Cardiac arrests in a train station.

Narrow streets and crowds, searching eyes.

Boisterous, small café and warmth.

And then, suddenly, the warmth was only Akira and him in his attic room, their friends having retired at more reasonable hours and in pairs. The shadow of Morgana being trapped in the arms of a squealing, orange-haired sibling having disappeared while trailing behind Akira’s pseudo-father-in-Tokyo.

The warmth became a searing heat that burned him, urged him to stand up. “It’s late, you must be tired after the long ride. I’ll be taking my leave. Until tomorrow, leader.”

The tinkling of a summer chime tickled his ear with vaporous teasing, “Why are you calling me leader, Yusuke? Aren’t we already beyond formalities?”

How could he feel like melting and freezing at once? “Apologies, Joker-.”

“Ah~ ah~ ah~!”

His adam´s apple swayed along with his will to not ravish his friend at that very moment. “ _Akira._ Goodnight.”

When his foot fell upon the first step of the stairs, that’s when he knew he lost. “Mmm, Yusuke, it’s too late. Stay.”

Too late to catch the last train. Too late to walk home. Too late to hide his feelings any longer. Too late to pretend to resist. Too late to regret his next move.

And his heart ached. Consent was not explicitly given through words. Hope had not yet been vocally translated into love. But between them, there was an invisible language that only they could understand, a language that they had developed together through months of exposed vulnerabilities, wounds and near-death experiences.

So, that night, they painted the room with sound. Every touch upon skin birthing stars, every shift of their bodies tracing constellations on blues and blacks. And in their tangled hands, they held the secrets of the universe.

That was when life was given meaning.

_“I love you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided this fic will work in three arcs.  
> After this chapter, there comes the epilogue of the first arc.   
> All will be posted in the same fic, so don't worry about having to hunt them down.
> 
> Also, this is the closest kind of thing I can write when related to intimacy. I'm an ace, but I do appreciate fictional emotional bonding that may include physical stuff. But, yeah, my focus? Poetic sweetness. :3


	5. Chapter 4 – In the Distance

**~~Moderation, containment, abstinence, suppression.~~ **

**Smothering.**

“I had been wondering if I’d read too much into it. I’m glad I didn’t,” Akira’s smile was like a gift created to anchor his soul to the Earth. “And I love you, too.”

His body had gone hay-wire from the overwhelming need to consume the essence of this man who had made him discover love for the first time and again for a second time. And in spite of the lingering exhaustion that clung to his bones after demonstrating his affections freely, his head moved once more to devour and feed on the feelings that those lips had uttered.

Less than a minute after, Akira pushed him back gently, gasped words leaving his chest, “But I do believe we need to talk. Loving each other won’t make things work by magic and I really don’t want to go through the pain of a long-distance relationship. For your sake, more than mine.”

His brain was muddled. He had heard every word and understood what they meant, but his heart kept speeding wildly and trying to order his limbs to wrap around his partner and not let go. He was not in a state to talk things out, he just wanted to let out more of that heat that had been fueled and roaring inside him for a year.

That, and he didn’t want what had not even begun to end already.

“So, you want us to forget what happened and pretend everything’s the same?” His voice was small and quivering just like his heart at that moment, trying to slip from him.

Akira smiled sadly but shook his head. “I talked with my folks. They agreed to let me transfer back to be with you. And depending on where we end up studying once we graduate, they also offered to let you move into our house with me.” Akira laughed in relief, “They really want to meet you.”

His heart won, and he smothered Akira in a tight grasp, tangling himself so closely there was no space left between them, just like there was no space for doubts in his mind.

“Yes! Thank you!”


	6. Epilogue – Clear Sky Hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is only the epilogue to the first arc of the story.  
> Expect a new chapter next week!

_“Hello, Sojiro!”_

Sojiro is pleasantly surprised. These calls had stopped months ago, a sign that everything was alright, a sign that something had gone missing.

“Hello, Kurusu-san, it’s nice to hear from you again. Thank you for sending the kid back, even if it’s just a few days. We’ve really missed him around here.”

The light twinkling laugh from the soft-spoken man that lives hours away had been missed, too. Getting to know at least bits and pieces of Akira’s parents had revealed the true nature of their decision to send him all the way to Tokyo, the concern of him being even more discriminated by those who had known him all his life. Being hurt by strangers would surely sting a bit less. And even if they couldn’t visit (trying to legally fight to save their son), the couple had sent a good allowance to Akira (the money that Sojiro received and managed for his food would eventually be given to him to “run errands and keep the change”), they called Sojiro at least twice a week to check in, and then, they also called Akira directly and sent him messages.

_“I’m sure you all did, but Futaba, Yusuke, and you more so. Which brings me to the reason I called… Akira has decided to transfer back to finish high school in Tokyo and see where he goes from there. Even though having him back is the greatest joy I’ve had in such a long time, seeing Akira sighing over Yusuke every day has been heartbreaking. It was difficult for us to convince Tatsu-kun, but we forewent asking whether you could take him in again. I apologize if this inconveniences you. We can look up other options if we must.”_

Anyone who visited the attic since Akira’s departure would easily see the evidence of the seven people who worked hard and kept it as lively as it had been the year it had become a home. “Don’t worry, Kurusu-san. I have to admit, I have been keeping it clean and tidy because of my nostalgia, and his friends have also been visiting as usual. Even through his physical absence, everyone has come back often to be close, kinda like taking refuge in the memory.” He laughs softly and thinks his eyes might be watering, “It’d be my pleasure to have him here again. Though,” his brief sadness is drowned out by a smug thought, “I dare to speculate that, this time, he won’t move in alone.”

A short period of silence is followed by a boisterous laugh full of life, “Well, that is completely up to you. Though, rest assured in the fact that I would condone it if you punish them if they get loud or inappropriate around you, especially during business hours.” Their familiarity had seemingly increased over time, because Kurosu-san’s next sultry comment both flustered and amused Sojiro, “They say sex and coffee go well together, but I’m sure that is not what they mean.”

They both burst out laughing while Sojiro is trying to put on his shoes to go and open the shop. “If they do want to do something ‘too funny’, I’ll just tell them to go bother the kids at the Kōsei dorms.” And after he’s twisted the key, woken the doorbell, and cross the threshold of Leblanc, he’s witness to the two newest members of his found family walking down the stairs sloppily in sweatpants with groggy yet beaming faces, messy hair and interlaced fingers. “Speaking of which, the sleeping beauties have come down in search of breakfast. Want me to call you later, Jun? Or would you want to speak with Akira?”

Calling his dad’s name in such a casual manner never fails to rile the kid up. “Dad! I would speak to you now.” While Akira steals his cellphone and rambles on to his dad, Yusuke approaches him with the same glowing smile that is now tinted with some shyness. Sojiro just chuckles and gets a mug out for each of them. "So? You moving in too, kid? I mean, you could always go back to the dorm every once in a while just to make sure you keep the room or when you go into one of your art frenzies, but you could make this your official place, if you want. I won’t mind.” And he doesn’t know if it’s Kurusu-san’s contagious cheer or the Sayuri being so close that prompts him to spill next, “You’re family, Yusuke. You’re like another son to me. With or without Akira, you are always welcome.”

Futaba has miraculously arrived somewhat early with Morgana in her arms, perhaps anticipating the time she can make-up for with Akira, and finds the three most important men in her life bawling like children and hugging. She is weirded out, but not as much as Morgana, who leaps out her arms and up into the attic to avoid secondhand embarrassment. “Uh… What’s up guys?”

It took very little for her to begin crying and hugging just as hard.

All the family was finally home together.


	7. Prologue - Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arc II

_“Mr. Yusuke Kitagawa! Pleased to finally meet you!”_

He had awoken to Akira missing on his bed and Morgana grooming himself next to him quietly.

“Morgana, what time is it?” His friend only proceeded to glance at him briefly before continuing, but Yusuke’s gaze did not falter. After some minutes passed, Morgana finally finished and addressed him while flicking one of his ears with a front paw. “It’s still a bit early, almost 9, I think. Don’t worry, Akira told me to tell you that you can sleep as much as you want. He just got up early for his parent’s visit.”

His eyes widened. What was he talking about? “His parents are coming?”

Morgana stared at him blankly as if the situation should be obvious. “They’re already here.”

Quickly, Yusuke threw the sheets around haphazardly.

“Yusuke! I didn’t need you to flash me so early! Ugh! Gross! I’ll go down for more food to try and forget…”

He did his best to look presentable, but for that he had to borrow some of Akira’s clothes, since he _still_ hadn’t gone back to his dorm. Oh lord, he would go down and meet his boyfriend’s parents while wearing his boyfriend’s clothes! Would they notice..? Of _course,_ they would! They maybe even made the laundry and knew the contents of Akira’s closet well enough! If only there was another way. But his clothes were stained in a very compromising manner. No matter, he would have to live with himself and the shame that would surely come.

He fixed his hair neatly, the least he could do, to be honest, and slowly took one step after another, steadying himself for this abrupt meeting. He peeked between the steps and managed to see Akira pouring coffee to a man who, eerily, looked similar to Yusuke, but he looked way softer, gentler, much more happy and meek. Sojiro was speaking to a man who looked intimidatingly serious, his blank face and droopy eyelids gave him an unfriendly aura. _That’s the father I have to be careful of, then._

He took a large inhale of air and rushed down the last steps; it was now or never.

“Mr. Yusuke Kitagawa! Pleased to finally meet you!” The man that vaguely resembled himself hopped off from his stool and ran at him with arms wide open. He was very small and smelled like freshly cut flowers. “Oh, Akira! I knew you said he was handsome and showed us pictures, but, wow! He’s so much better in person!” The man stepped back and squeezed Yusuke’s cheeks with his hands a bit harshly while looking back wondrously at his son. “And he’s so tall!”

“Jun. You promised.” The other man stared at his husband firmly.

“Oh! Tatsu-chan! You know I don’t mean harm, I’m just so excited!” He received the unconvinced arching of an eyebrow in return. “Yeah, you’re right,” the man named Jun turned again to face Yusuke, “Sorry, Yu-kun! It’s just that I have been waiting to welcome you into the family properly,” he said with a small but sweet smile that shone with sincerity. It reminded Yusuke of his mother’s self-portrait.

“Daaaaad! Don’t pressure him! You’ll scare him away! Papa told you to act calmly and you promised.”

Jun finally released his grip on Yusuke and walked back to the counter to kiss Akira’s forehead and then stand next to his husband to kiss his cheek. The man, in turn, glowed red and coughed slightly, trying to fight the grin that wanted to grow on his lips.

_It seems I was wrong, the small one is the father I have to be careful about…_

Jun gasped wildly, similar to when Ann did her bad acting bits, “Kami! Akira,” Jun put his hands over his heart, “Are those _your_ clothes that Yusuke is wearing?!”

 _Yes, indeed. Jun is the one I have to be careful about._ He thought worriedly while Akira laughed boisterously as he approached to kiss Yusuke’s ear and Tatsuya blushed darker.


	8. Chapter 1 - A Piece of a Puzzle

He was a useless, miserable leech.

Not downplaying their kind initiatives or being ungrateful for the abundant generosity extended to him, he has thought that by this point in life, he would be able to carry his own weight.

Instead, he felt like a stranger, _worse_ , like a deviant who was not only looking into other people’s live intently, he was invading them, forcing open a space for himself.

Yusuke couldn’t find himself fitting into this family. He felt like he was trespassing, like the floor had opened up into a pit of boiling lava whose bubble’s burst and spattered his feet, but he pretended nothing was wrong.

Or so he thought.

“Yusuke, honey, what’s wrong? You’ve been standing here with a box in your hands for a good ten minutes. You don’t have to help us unpack if you’re not feeling well, or is this whole thing just awkward to you?”

Jun smiles and Yusuke feels a little bit better at the sight. Much of Akira’s fondness has been directly emulated from this gentle man’s face.

“I feel,” he gulps, but forges on, he’d promised Akira to open up, “I feel like I’m intruding in your family.”

Jun’s face turns melancholic, but he takes the box and places it to the side to be free to grab Yusuke’s upper arms, rubbing comfort into his skin and through to his marrow. “You know, I had it rough with my parents. My mom only saw me at face-value, _literally_ , just a pretty face, a sort of trophy son that she neglected and never got to know. My father, he’d been awesome, or at least, I pretended he was.” He huffed softly, deflating from most of his bubbly energy.

“He was a teacher, a great one, superbly smart, always hungry for knowledge, always a responsible mentor. But the tense relationship between my mother and him pushed him away from me too at one point. There was a huge part of my life in which I only had Tatsuya. And that was when we were barely in elementary school.” He turns slightly to cast a yearning smile to his husband who, ever in sync, glances up to him from where he’s accommodating freshly unpacked knick-knacks and smiles back, earning a blown kiss from Jun and producing a shy blush from the seemingly stoic man.

“Luckily, as we grew up, we got to know other kids who were like us. Kids who had problems at home, at school or simple with themselves. And since then, neither of us two have been alone. Akira, he was a decision of mine. I would’ve made him my son even if Tatsuya had refused. I saw a lot from us both in him, a lot of the pain of our childhood. And so, I decided to save him, to prevent a sweet heart like his to be ruined. So, Yusuke, let me save you too, just like my boy is doing.”

Inadvertently, Tatsuya walked up to them and laid his hands over Jun’s shoulder, “Doesn’t matter if you’re with Aki or not, we’ve got your back.”

That night, Yusuke had the most hearty family meal in his life, surrounded by Akira, his parents, the Sakuras, and the rest of the Thieves.

“Welcome home, kids.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had the "prompt" for this chapter written down for two weeks, waiting for me. ToT I finally got around to working on my laptop! Thanks for waiting, and hope you enjoy Tatsujun from here on out, because there will be plenty of them, even if not always in person.


End file.
